My Sheep Know My Voice - 6

My Sheep Know My Voice - 6

Subject: Determining When God Is at Work 

by Rick Welborne

--Do we ever give Satan permission to take us bondage or does God ever grant Satan permission to take us bondage?  Do we ever give Satan an open door into our lives or does God ever give Satan an open door into our lives?

–Think of the OT.  Children of Israel would sin...God would allow the enemy to take them into captivity ...Bondage...verse in Isaiah 29...I know the plans...going into bondage.

–Satan is a thief...always looking for ways to get in... looking for access!

Ephesians 4:27 (NKJV) 

27 nor give place to the devil. 

–Number one open door is pride. Many people are proud they don’t have pride. Definitions of pride according to Robert Morris:

1. Pride is trusting in your own strength.

Luke 22:3132 (NKJV) 

31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 

32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." 

–The word “asked” in the Greek has more than one meaning- Greek lexicon - to ask for something and to receive; to ask for with success; Peter, Satan asked for and received permission to sift you as wheat.

Luke 22:31 (NASB) 

31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 

–In other words Satan has a right into Simon’s life and what would that open door be?

–We believe that the open door in Peter’s life was because he was trusting in his own strength and was filled with pride...listen to the conversation before these verses.

Mark 14:2731 (NKJV) 

27 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.' 

28 "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." 

29 Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be." 

30 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." 

31 But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise. 

–Jesus said to Peter - what part of all do you not understand...not me...these sissies! Scripture in OT that says you will...Peter said, “not me the Scriptures are wrong.”

Matthew 16:2123 (NKJV) 

21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 

22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 

23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 

–What kind of pride and arrogance does it take to take Jesus aside and to rebuke Him?

–Jesus looked right at Peter (a man) and addressed Satan...whatever your theology is...Jesus addressed Satan in him, on him, around him, behind him...he addressed Satan.

–Right before this Jesus has changed Peter’s name from Simon to Peter (You are the Christ, the Son of the living God) and now He is calling him Satan because of the pride in Peter...Peter...I like my other name better.

–When they came to arrest Jesus one of the disciples cut off one of the soldiers ears - Guess which one - Peter.

–The reason he cut off his ear is because he missed his head...what kind of pride and arrogance to think you could take on a whole garrison of soldiers...he was trusting in his own strength.

–Satan has a right to you because you have opened a door of access to him...trusting in his own strength.

–Right after this Peter goes against his strong declarations and denies the Lord to a teenage waitress and even curses...denies the Lord three times.

Robert Morris: Many mature believers who have served the Lord for a long time fall into this trap because they begin to trust in their own strength instead of trusting in the Lord.

–Is it possible this is why King David fell because he had been such a strong follower of the Lord?  Absolutely.  In a time when kings went out to war...He stayed home. Bathsheba.

1 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV) 

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 

2. Pride is trusting in your own righteousness.

Job 1:612 (NKJV) 

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 

9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 

10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 

11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 

12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. 

–Wouldn’t you say that was God granting Satan permission to go after Job?  Hard to understand until you read the next 31 chapters of Job...three friends show up...not good friends for sure.

–Though they were not on target...they in essence were speaking to Job trying to help him understand that he could have potentially left an open door in his life. He could not see it! He would not see it!

–Job denies everything that they are accusing him of...I did not do these things and I did do these things. Job 32 Elihu...I have held it as long as I can...I have waited for you old guys to get it right but you are not doing it.

Job 32:12 (NKJV) 

1 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 

2 Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. 

–Answer to the whole book...Job was righteous in his own eyes and he justified himself rather than God.

Job 33:89 (NKJV)   Elihu

8 "Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, 

9 'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. 

–Job would have had to be Jesus for that to be true.  Elihu said:

Job 36:3 (NKJV) 

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 

–Here is the open door in Job’s life...He was righteous because of what he did not because of Who he knew...the Lord! Job argued and was saying because I did this and did not do this...I am righteous.

–Mature believers fall into this sin...when we first get saved we know it had to be the righteousness of Jesus that saved us...could not do it ourselves.

–10 years, 20, 30 years later we don’t do the things we used to do and we now do so many good things and we start thinking that is what makes us righteous...lady in office. We are not righteous by what we do...Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) 

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

–When you begin to trust in your own righteousness...that is pride. Pharisee praying in church...God I am glad that I am not like others...like this tax collector:  What Job does for 31 chapters...compare me to anyone and you will see.

–Job’s problem...all of a sudden God shows up and says, OK you want to do some comparisons? Compare yourself to Me!

Job 38:16, 12,22,24,34-35 (NKJV) 

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 

2 "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 

3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 

4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 

5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 

6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 

12 "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place, 

22 "Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, 

24 By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth? 

34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? 

35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, 'Here we are!'? 

Job 39:2627 (NKJV) 

26 "Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south? 

27 Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high? 

–God sums it up like this:

Job 40:78 (NKJV) 

7 "Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: 

8 "Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? 

–Can you imagine God asking you that question? Of course Job’s response to God’s questioning was to repent...so many mature believers fall into the trap of trusting in their own righteousness.

Job 42:16 (NIV) 

1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 

2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 

3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 

4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' 

5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 

6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." 

–Many are living righteous lifestyles (they think)...we believe in living a righteous lifestyle...living un-righteously opens us up to the enemy...only the blood of Jesus makes us righteous.  

3. Pride is trusting in your own wisdom.

–Ahab had 400 prophet who were yes men.

–Jehosaphat good king.

1 Kings 22:78 (NKJV) 

7 And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?" 

8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!" 

–God gives permission to the demon to have a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets. Ahab did not want the truth. God is in control.

James 3:1416 (NKJV) 

14 But if you have bitter envy and selfseeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 

15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 

16 For where envy and selfseeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 

–Pride opens the door for his destruction. Would God ever grant permission...yes. Why would God grant permission to the enemy? Take the warning of this message about pride. I repented while I did it.

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) 

18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 

–Good news is that Job and Peter and repented. Ahab - thought he had more wisdom than God...dressed like a regular soldier. Certain man draws a bow...hits Ahab... Jehoshaphat is saved.  God’s grace toward him.

–Pride is a trap that the strong, the righteous, and the wise fall into many times. Guard your heart and ask Holy Spirit to reveal any open doors to pride. 

Psalm 69:5 (NKJV)
⁵  O God, You know my foolishness; And my sins are not hidden from You. 

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 18

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 18

Subject: Praying Circles and Defining Moments

by Rick Welborne

Joshua 6:5 (NKJV)
⁵  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him." 

Daniel 10:1-12 (NLT)
¹  In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. He understood that the vision concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship.
²  When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks.
³  All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.
⁴  On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River,
⁵  I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.
⁶  His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people.
⁷  Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide.
⁸  So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak.
⁹  Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.
¹⁰  Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.
¹¹  And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.
¹²  Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 

--Last week we saw how Daniel was an awesome man of prayer…He prayed faithfully whether times were good or times were bad. Once he knew praying to his God was against the law:

Daniel 6:10 (NLT)
¹⁰  But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

--Daniel also prayed fervently. He had found the value of being an upper room prayer warrior. His experience in the upper room was a foreshadowing of the outpouring of Holy Spirit power.

--As we faithfully pray and faithfully have those upper room encounters with Holy Spirit…we can see the mouths of lions shut and entire kingdoms be changed. 

--As a young man (probably as a teenager) Daniel learned the value of fasting and praying. When we add fasting to our praying we find ourselves in the greatest position to receive a miracle.

--Even Jesus said that some miracles are not possible with just praying…we must be fasting and praying. Some doors that are locked will not open unless we are willing to empty our stomach to get them.

Matthew 17:20-21 (NKJV)
²⁰  So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
²¹  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

--When I have a big decision to make or there is an extra-ordinary miracle that is needed…I circle it with a fast. Fasting doesn’t just purge or cleanse the body but it also purges or cleanses our minds and spirits.

--Maybe there is something you have been praying for that needs to be taken to the next level…I believe fasting and praying is drawing double circles around the miracle. Of course, you have to be sincere.

--Important question about Daniel…When did the breakthrough happen for Daniel? Was it the moment Daniel started circling and praying on day one? Or was it the moment he had prayed thru on day 21?

--The answer to both of these questions is yes.

--Every breakthrough has a genesis and a revelation, literally and figuratively. There is the first breakthrough and a second breakthrough.

1. Daniel’s answer…his first breakthrough.

Daniel 9:20-23 (NLT)
²⁰  I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the LORD my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.
²¹  As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice.
²²  He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.
²³  The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision. 

--This one revelation has the power to change your perspective on prayer. It will inspire you to dream big, pray hard, and think long. Your answer is given long before it is revealed.  Remember the Jericho miracle:

Joshua 6:1-2 (NLT)
¹  Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.
²  But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.”

--Before the walls had fallen…the victory had already been won. All they had to do was be obedient and wait on the revelation of the walls falling. 

--We are all waiting on future tense revelation but the victory has already been won by means of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ…It is truly finished. Every promise is yes and amen in Jesus.

--The miracle is done the day we believe it and the day we receive it. When you circle your walls or your miracle there will come a time before the time that we have our first breakthrough.

--When our oldest son was born, with what Dr. Coyner said was the worst case of club feet he had ever seen in 40 years, there came a moment in my heart and Tricia’s heart that the miracle was already done.

--When the doctor held Jeremy up for me to see and I saw his twisted little feet laying up next to his knees…

I said to the doctor…what about his feet? He gave his limited knowledge answer and then Holy Spirit spoke.

--Holy Spirit said as clearly as I have ever heard His voice six simple words…which, as far as I was concerned, the miracle was done…Everything is going to be alright.

--This was the genesis of the miracle and I latched on to it and began from that day forward to repeat what Holy Spirit had said. Everything is going to be alright. Eight and one half months go by…118 casts on his feet. 

--Eight and a half months go by and I am sure that I did not miss a day saying what Holy Spirit had said to me in the beginning…Everything is going to be alright. 

--Dr. Coyner told us initially that Jeremy would not walk correctly until he was seven or eight years old…Everything is going to be alright. Several months into this process God gave me another word.

--Pray that Jeremy’s feet will be well and healed before he is old enough to walk…I made my prayer to be…

Everything is going to be alright and he will walk normally when he starts walking.

--At eight and a half months the casts were taken off of his feet for the last time and the feet stayed miraculously turned in their proper position. Praise God! At 12 months and 2 weeks God did something amazing!

--Jeremy had not walked yet but he was standing next to his mother hanging on…He gets mad at his mother and wants to get away from her so he takes off running across the room. He didn’t walk, he ran.

--Realizing he had just run from his mother…he stops and runs back to her…of course we are freaking out (in a good way) because God had done what he said He would do…Everything was alright…not going to be.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)
²⁰  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
²¹  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

--Daniel’s breakthrough started when: ²³  The moment you began praying, a command was given and our breakthrough started the day we heard Holy Spirit say…Everything is going to be alright!

2. Daniel’s defining moment and defining decision.

--There is no way to measure the value of Daniel going to his upper room, opening His window toward Jerusalem, and praying three times a day.

--Whether we realize it or not, our daily decisions help to define who we are and what we eventually will be doing. Good godly habits produce good godly fruit. 

--Along with our daily decisions, there are defining decisions. We only make a few defining decisions in life, and we spend the rest of our lives managing them. 

--There may be someone here today who has made some bad decisions and you have arrived at a place in your life where you don’t want to be. The good news is that you are only one defining decision from a new life. 

--Daniel, when he was taken as a slave in his teen years made a defining decision…it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. How Daniel was used by God can be traced back to this one resolution.

Daniel 1:8-9 (NKJV)
⁸  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
⁹  Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.

--Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with what the Babylonians were eating and drinking.

J. Vernon McGee - This boy takes a real stand for God, and he does it in a heathen court. He wasn't attempting to please Nebuchadnezzar. His decision did not reflect the modern softness of compromise which we find all around us today; nor was it dictated by the false philosophies of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "The Power of Positive Thinking." Daniel knew nothing of the opportunist's policy of "When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do." Daniel was not conformed to this world, but he was transformed by the renewing of his mind, and the will of God was the all-absorbing purpose of his life. They were supposed to eat like Babylonians, dress like Babylonians, and think like Babylonians. However, Daniel and his friends were under the Mosaic system, and God made what they were to eat very clear to His people in the Old Testament. 

--These guys were under the Law of Moses and they were determined to live out what they had been taught in Leviticus 11. God, give us young people and adults who are not willing to defile themselves.

--This defining moment and this defining decision set Daniel and his friends up to be used by God in an incredible way. He was not worried about insulting the king, he was concerned about insulting God. 

3. Daniel’s breakthrough.

Daniel 10:12 (NLT)
¹²  Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.

--It was Daniel’s unwillingness to compromise his convictions in the small things that has set him up for his big breakthrough. Gabriel said, I have come in answer to your prayer. 

--Daniel decided he would not defile himself with the king’s food and drink, he decided to fast and to pray, he decided to keep praying even in the face of adversity…Defining decisions brought such victory. 

--Because Daniel made good daily decisions and made great defining decisions God decided to bless him. 

When you have a decision to make ask: Does it advance the cause of Christ? Does it bring unity to the body of Christ? Does it increase my walk with Christ?